Shared FEC Decoder Allocation for Bursty Return-Link Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
In satellite communications systems, the use of dedicated FEC decoders for each return link channel leads to high latency and inefficient resource utilization due to unpredictable decoding times and bursty data transmissions, especially in TDMA systems where burst assignments are not deterministic.
Innovation Solution
The method involves allocating a total number of decoders among decoder queues proportionally to the current offered load of codewords of different sizes, allowing for dynamic allocation and sharing of decoders across multiple channels, thereby reducing latency and managing jitter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated FEC decoders are assigned to each return link channel, then channel-specific decoding reliability is improved, but system latency increases due to idle decoders and unpredictable decoding times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a pool of FEC decoders that can serve multiple return link channels dynamically. Instead of dedicating specific decoders to specific channels, any available decoder in the pool can process codewords from any channel, allowing idle decoders to be utilized and reducing overall system latency while maintaining decoding reliability through the same error correction capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically allocates decoders to channels based on real-time traffic conditions and decoding requirements. The decoder assignment is not fixed but adapts to changing load conditions, allowing the system to optimize resource utilization and reduce latency by assigning decoders to channels that currently need processing capacity
2Productivity
If more FEC decoders are deployed in the PHY processing subsystem, then decoding capacity and throughput are improved, but hardware complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple decoder resources into a shared pool that serves multiple channels. By combining decoder functionality into a unified resource pool rather than distributing dedicated decoders across channels, the system achieves the same or greater total decoding capacity with fewer individual decoder units, thereby reducing hardware complexity and cost while maintaining or improving throughput
3Ease of operation
If a fixed number of decoders are allocated to each channel, then resource management is simplified, but latency increases when traffic patterns are unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that monitor decoder utilization, queue depths, and traffic patterns across channels. Based on this feedback, the resource manager dynamically adjusts decoder allocations to channels with higher demand, automatically responding to unpredictable traffic patterns and reducing latency without requiring complex manual resource management configurations
Data Source
AI summary
A method for dividing a total number of decoders among decoder queues of codewords of different sizes, the codewords transmitted on return communication links from data terminals to a gateway of a satellite communications system, includes for each of K groups, allocating a respective number of decoders dedicated to decoding codewords of a particular size, where K is a number of different sizes of codewords, and the respective number of decoders is allocated from the total number of decoders and allocated in proportion to current offered load of codewords of the particular size.